BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday sent a congratulatory letter to the World Conference on China Studies -- Shanghai Forum.

Xi pointed out that China studies are not only the studies of historical China, but also the studies of contemporary China.

Chinese civilization has a long history and has been enriched and developed through exchanges and mutual learning with other civilizations in the world, endowing Chinese modernization with profound cultural heritage, Xi said.

"Only by tracing the origins of history can we understand the reality of the world, and only by following the cultural foundation can we identify present-day China," he said. "It is through the mutual learning of civilizations that common progress can be achieved."

Xi expressed the hope that experts and scholars from various countries will act as messengers connecting Chinese and foreign civilizations, uphold inclusiveness and openness, continuously promote China studies worldwide, foster mutual exchange of civilizations, and inject intellectual and cultural strength into the flourishing garden of world civilizations.

Themed "Chinese Civilization and China's Path -- A Global Perspective," the event opened Friday in Shanghai. It is co-hosted by the State Council Information Office and the Shanghai municipal government.